Washing machine



Feb. 5, 1935.

G: A. CREETH El AL l WASHING MACHINE `Filed Sept. 29, 1950 2 Sheetsf-Sheet 2` Patented 'Feb 1935 .e l

yUNl'll-:D `STATES PATENT oFl-lcE WASHING MACHINE George A. creeth, Glendale, and Lesterl P. Phiip and Walter A. Lindsay, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application september 2 9, 1930, serial' No. 485,054 a l claims. l (cl. s4-1s) This invention relates to washing machines of Figure 3 is a fragmental plan section on the the type employed for agitating articles in a line indicated by 3 3, Fig. 2. liquid and separating the liquid from said arti,- Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmental plan seccles. tion, the plane of section being indicated by the The invention is a variation from the conline 4 4, Fig. 2. v struction disclosed in the copending application Figure 4a is a detail elevational view of the of Ggorge A. vCreeth, Lster P. Philp and Walter upper portion of the screw for raising the basket. A. Lindsay, led February 25, 1930, Serial Num- Figure 5 is a fragmental vertical section, the ber 431,090. plane of section being indicated by the line 5 5,

. 1o An important objeet of this invention, in eom- Fig. 4. 1o

mon with one of the objects of the invention dis- Figure 6 is a fragmental vertical view, partly Y closed in said copending application, Ais the elein section, looking from the line indicated by vation of the articles above the liquid body in 6 6, Fig. 4.

which agitation takes place, and the subjection Figure 'I is a broken plan view, partly in secof said articles, while raised, to centrifugal action, from the line indicated by 7 7, Fig. 5. 15 tion in order to separate from said articlesliq- There is provided a tank 8 adapted to hold uid that is on or in them when raised out oi the liquid bath A, and there is rotatably mountthe bath. ed within the tank 8 a basket 9 adapted to con- In the above mentioned copending applicatain the articles that are to be immersed in the tion, raising ofthe basket and agitator and ro-, bath, the basket being perforate or provided 20 tation of the basket is accomplished by a nut, with openings 1o through which the liquid can which is connected with the basket and works readily enter and leave the basket. on a vertical screw. Thus, when the basket ro- Within the basket 9 isan agitator 11 which may tates, the only driving `force on the agitator is comprise any desired number of vertically arthrough the contents of the basket and, conranged blades 12 projecting radially from a cen-4 25- sequently, there may be slippage between the tral vertical sleeve 13 that constitutes the stem basket andthe articles therein. In thepresent of the agitator. The stem 13 surrounds a verinvention, the nut is secured to the agitator and tical spindle 14 which is rotatably mounted in a is engageable with the basket and with the thread bearing 15 that extends from the bottom of the .30 of a vertical screw and, accordingly, upward tank approximately halfway to the top of said movement of the nut eilects raising of the agitank. The lower end of the bearing 15 is protator and basket and rotation o! the nut when vided with a flange 16 which is secured by fasits sections engage the screw, eilects rotation tning devices 17 to the bottom 18 of the tank. of the agitator and, accordingly, the articles in Thus the agitator 11 rests on the bottom of basket 35 the basket will'be whirled around at the speed 9 and is maintained in proper central position 35 of the screw.` within the basket by the vertical spindle 14. snother olaiict of this invention is the pro: The spindle 14 projects through the tank-boton of a erent mechanism than disclosed tom 18 and is adapted to be releasably connected in said copending application, for operating the to a spur gear 19, by a clutch ofwhich one member sections of the nut to and from engagement, with 20 is nxed to the spindle 14 and the other mem 40 the screw, whereb u and down movements of ber 21 is fixed tothe gear 19. -Raising-and lowery D the agitator and basket are produced. mg of tg?) Siind'le llsagi Zim ihiingchrlll: Another ob eet is to eueot olosin en open- .mmbef .e Mcm!" Y a f ing of the m13 sectios by mechamsl pogitioned 22 which projects between the clutch member 20 andaspurgear23whichisalsoxedtothe45 mi the basket' Y d1 14 t sli ht distance above the eluten Further objects and advantages will appear in 5pm e a 'a g member 20. The shifting fork 22 extends bethe summed detailed descrpmn th the tank bottom Y1a-to one side thereof The accompanying drawings illustrate'the n e9' Y and is operated by a rod 24 which is pivoted at 5o venFigureion. 1 is a side elevation of a machine con 25 toehosftmicfomrrk mi gthisdes 26 50 secur e c eren w o tank. structed in accordance with the provisions of The'upper end of the rod 24 is provided with. a thisinvention. handle 2 7 and a shoulder 28 on said rod is. adapt- Flgure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view ed to engage one of the guides 26 to limit downof-Athe machine. ward motion of therod 24 and, re- 55 strict upward movement of the spindle 14. The shifting fork 22 has its fulcrum 29 sup rted in the wall of the tank 8 beneath the botto 18.

'I'he gear 19 turns on a supporting frame 30 which is attached to the bottom portion of the tank, a stub shaft 31 being screwed into or otherwise secured to said frame to form the axis for the gear 19. The gear 19 is turned through an idler gear 32 by another spur gear 33 that turns on a stub shaft 34 screwed into-or otherwise secured to the frame 30. Also the idler gear 32 turns on a stub shaft 35 which is screwed into or otherwise secured to the frame 30.

'I'he gear 33 is connected by a hub 36 to a worm gear 37 in mesh with a worm 38 on a worm shaft 39 driven by a pulley 40 on which runs a. belt 41 that, in turn, is driven by a pulley 42 on the shaft of a motor 43 which is suitably mounted on the frame 30. It is to be understood that the clutch member 21 may be driven through the agency of any other suitable driving mechanism than that just described, so as to produce rotary motion of the spindle 14.

The spindle may also-be oscillated by the provision of a suitable means which, in this instance, is constructed as follows In this instance,

this means is driven off of the worm. gear 37 and comprises a rack bar 44 that is pivoted at 45 to the worm gear 37. The rack bar 44 works through a guide 46 so that the path of movement of its teeth, when the worm gear 37 rotates, intersects the path of movement of the gear 23 when the shifting fork 22 is moved into a position to raise the spindle sumciently to bring the gear 23 opposite to the rack bar. A

It is now clear that the spindle 14 may be either rotated or oscillated, according to the position of the clutch member 20.

A means is provided to transmit motion of the spindle 14 to the agitator 11 and, in this instance, this is effected as follows: Secured to the spindle 14 is a clutch member 47 which, when the spindle is raised into its upper position, engages with an internal clutch member 48 formed in the upper end of the stem 13 so that when the clutch members 47, 48 are engaged, oscillation of the spindle 14 will produce oscillation of the agitator.

A suitable means is provided' for effecting raising of the basket 9 and, in this instance, this means is constructed as follows: Rotatably mounted on the bearing 15 is a hollow screw 49 of which the thread is external. This screw 49 is turned when the clutch member 47 is in engagement with another clutch member 50 formed in the upper end of said screw 49. The clutch members 48 and 50, in this instance, are in the form of internal spur gears while the clutch member 47 is also in the form of a gear adapted to engage either of the clutch members 48, 50, according to the position of the spindle 14.

Beneath the stem 13 is a nut on which the stem rests, said n'ut, in this instance, including segmental sections-51 which are pivoted at one end at 52v to the stern 13. As clearly shown in Fig. 5, the nut sections 51are provided with inwardly projecting flanges 53 which, when the nut sections are closed upon the screw 49, engage beneath shoulders 54 provided on a bearing member 55 that rests on the flange 16.- The bearing member 55 constitutes a portion of the bottom of the basket and, accordingly, when the nut sections travel upwardly they carry With them the basket and the agitator, this Ylatter because the agitator rests on the nut sections.

When the basket reaches its upper position, a shoulder 551 at the upper end of the thread of one of the nut sections is engaged by a shoulder 552 (referring to Figure 4a) on the screw 49 thus preventing relative rotation between the nut sections and screw and causing the nut sections and agitator to rotate synchronously with the screw.

Above the shoulder 54 of the nut sections are arcuate grooves 56 (Fig. 7) in the bearing member 55 and, when the nut sections are closed on the screw 49, clutch members 57 on the nut sections engage in the grooves 56 so that rotary motion of the nut will be transmitted to the bearing member 55 and thence to the basket. Thus the members 57 andthe bearing member 55, with its grooves 56, constitute clutch means for rotatably connecting the nut with the basket.

A suitable means is provided for operating the nut sections to and from engagement with the screw 49 and, in this instance, said means is constructed as follows: 'Ihe adjacent edges of the nut sections 51 are provided with grooves 58 and engaging in said grooves is a cam 59 that is mounted on a. square cross sectional portion 60 of a shaft 61 which turns in bearings 62, 63 in the stem 13 and which is provided above the upper bearing 63 with a spur pinion 64 that engages an internal gear 65 that is provided with a knurled head 66, said internal gear 65 being rotatably mounted on the upper end of the stem 13. The internal gear is held assembled on the stem and is limited in turning by a screw 67 extending through the internal gear 65 so that the inner end .of said screw projects into an arcuate groove 68 in the stem 13, the opposite end walls of the groove 68 constituting shoulders or stops against which the screw 67 strikes when the head 66 is turned sufciently far in either direction. The amplitude of the movement of the internal gear 65 thus permitted is suiicient to turn the cam 59 through an arc of approximately Thus when the cam 59 is in the position indicated in Fig. 4, the nut sections 51 will be closed upon the screw 49 by a coil spring 69 which is secured at its opposite ends to the respective nut sections 51 and extends beneath the cam 59. When the cam 59 is turned/to a position 90 from that shown in Fig. 4, it spreads the nut sections apart against the tension of the spring 69, thus disengaglng the nut from the screw 49. Thus, when the nut is in engagement with the screw 49, if the screw be rotated in the appropriate direction, the nut will ride up the screw near the upper end thereof and will carry the basket and agitator with it.

It is desirable that, when the basket is revolving, any liquid, that may be sprayed on the articles within the basket, in discharging through the openings 10, will not contaminate the liquid bath within the tank 8 and, accordingly, we have provided an annular trough 70 that extends around the inner face of the tank and that is suitably attached thereto. The trough 70, in this instance, is positioned midway of the height of the tank of pprxmatly at the level of the bottom` i of the basket when the basket-mis in its raised'- position. The trough 70 is provided with an outlet 71 that opens through the side of the tankh, and that, in this instance, communicates with a pipe 72 provided with a valve 73.

If desired, the tank may be mounted on a suitable carriage, such as that indicated by the character 74, said carriage, in this instance, being provided with castors 75 so as to enable the tank to be readily moved from onelo'cation to another. Thus a circular supporting member 76, of angle iron, secured tothecarrage '14, supports the lower edge of the tub or tank 8, and a cross member '17 extends diametrically across memberv '16 for supporting the bottom 18 of the tank and the bearing 15. A nut '18, screwed onto the lower end of bearing 15 maintains the cross member 'I7 snug against the bottom 18 of the tank.

Assuming, for example, that the articles to be -treated in the machine are to be laundered, the

causing the gear 23 to engage the rack bar 44` and the clutch member 47 to engage the clutch member 48.

The motor will now be switched on, thereby causing oscillation of the agitator 11 so as to wash the articles in a manner well understood by thosefamiliar with washing machines provided with this type of agitator. It should be noted that although the basket 9 is free to rotate, it is not fixed to the agitator and the latter can therefore oscillate independently of the basket.

'After the agitator has been operated a suilicient length of time to effect cleansing of the articles, the operator will manipulate the handle 2'? into 'a position to cause engagement of the clutch members 20, 2l, disengagement oi the gear 23 from the rack of the clutch members 47, 50, thereby effecting rotation of the screw 49. The operator will then turn the head 66 into a position that will effect closing of the nut sections 51 upon the thread of the screw 49, and this results in the nut, and with it theagitator and basket, being raised from the position shown in solid lines of Fig. 2 to the position indicated in broken lines. f

As the basket rises, the wash water drains from the articles and from the basket through the openings 10 and when the basket reaches its upper position the shoulders 551, 552 will engage thus causing the stem to rotate the nut; the nut being attached to the agitator, thereby rotates it. When the two nut sections were closed on the screw 49 clutch members 57 on the nut sections also engaged with the grooves 56 in the bearing member 55 attached to the basket so that the basket, as well as the agitator, is turned with the nut. The centrifugal force set up by this rotation forces the wash water out of the articles being laundered and this water passes through the openings in the peripheral wall of the basket and is thrown against the inner face of theupper portionof the tank whence it drains downwardly into the trough 'I0 whichfoverilows into the tank, the valve '73 being closed. When wash water is no longer being expelled from the articles, the

valve '73'wil1 be .opened so as to discharge any water 'that thereafter enters the pipe 'l2`therefrom, and the articles` may then be rinsed by spraying them with clear water-*while the basket is rotating. The rinse water will be thrown out into the trough 70 and will pass into the pipe '72, and ence to a waste line, not shown.

` The articles)` after thus being rinsed, may then be removed from the basket and the basket lowered and a fresh supply of articles be placed therein for washingand rinsing by repeating the cycle oi operations above described.

-operable to raise the of the screw when bar 44, disengagement of the clutch members 47, 48, and engagementV tor, a third clutch member the screw, and means selectively To lower the bket, thehead 66,will be turned the thread of the screw 49, whereupon the basket will descend by its own weight vuntil the bearing member 55 comes to rest onfthe ilange 16.v ,The iall oi the basket is cushioned by the water in the tub 8 so that it does not strike the ange 16 with aviolent impact.

We claim: e

1. A washing machine including a tank, a basketin the tank, an agitator oscillatably and rotatably mounted in the basket, releasable means agitator and basket, a agitator while the basket a means driven directly to rotate the agimeans to oscillate the is in its lower position, by the basket raising means tator and basket in the upper position, and

means to release the basket raising means to allow the basket to descend byl gravity from its upper position.

2. A washing machine including a tank, a screw rotatably mounted in the tank, a basket in the tank, an agitator surrounding the screw and oscillatably mounted in the basket, nut sections movably connected with the agitator and engageable with the basket andv with the thread said gether, clutch members on the screw and agitator, a third clutch member shiftable alternately into engagement with the nrst mentioned clutch members, and means operable to either oscillate or rotate the third clutch member.

3. A washing machine including a tank, a screw rotatably mounted in the tank, a basket in the tank, an agitator surrounding the screw and oscillatably mounted in the basket, nut sections hinged to the agitator and engageable with the basket and with the thread of the screw when said sections are closed together, means 'to operate the nut sections into and out of engagement with said screw, clutch members on the screw and agita.-

shiftable alternately into engagement with the iirst mentioned clutch members, and means operable to either oscillate or rotate the third clutch member.

4. A washing machine in rotatably mounted in the tank, a basket in the tank, an agitator surrounding the screw and oscillatabLv mounted in the basket, nut sections connected with the agitator to rotate therewith and engageable with the basket and with the thread of the screw when said sections are closed together, a means to yieldingly hold the nut sections closed on the screw, means to operate the nut sections into open position, clutch members on the screw and agitato a third clutch member shiftable alternately into engagement with the first mentioned clutch members, and means operable to either oscillate or rotatethe third clutch member.

5. A washing machine including a tank, a screw rotatably mounted in tank, an agitator surrounding the screw and oscillatably mounted in the basket, nut sections connected with the agitator to rotate therewith and engageable with the basket and with the thread of the screw when the sections are closed together, clutch members on the screw and on the agitator, a spindle operable up and down within the screw, a clutch member on the spindle adapted when the spindle is raised to engage the clutch member on the agitator and when the spindle is lowered to engage the clutch member on operable to oscillate or rotate the spindle.

sections are closed to.

the tank, a basket in theA cluding a tank, a screw 6. A washing machine including a tank, a screw rotatably mounted in the tank, a basket in the tank, an. agitator surrounding the screw and oscillatably mounted in the basket, nut sections hingedly connected with the agitator and engageable with the basket and with the thread of the screw when said sections are closed together, clutch members on the screw and agitator, a spindie operable up and down within the screw, a clutch member on the spindle adapted when the spindle is raised to engage the clutch member on the agitator and when the spindle is lowered to engage the clutch member on the screw, a fourth clutch member mounted on the spindle, a fth rotatably mounted clutch member engageable by the fourth clutch member when the spindle is in its lowered position, a means to rotate the fifth clutch member, and a means to oscillate the spindle when the fourth and ilfth clutch members are disengaged.

'7. A washing machine including a tank, a screw rotatably mounted in the tank, a basket in the tank, an agitator oscillatably mounted in the basket, nut sections movably connectedwith the agitator and engageable with the basket and with the thread of the screw when said sections are closed together, clutch members on the screw and agitator, a third clutch member shiftable alter- :,ssaarr nately into engagement with the rst mentioned clutch members, means operable to either oscillate or rotate the third clutch member, a control -member movably mounted on the agitator, means .ket raising means comprising a plurality of nut sections adjustable into and out of operative relation with said screw and provided with a clutch member movable into and out of engagement with said basket, a control member mounted on the agitator, and means operably connecting said control member with said clutch member for releasing said nut sections from said screw and said clutch from said basket in response to actuation of said control member to permit the basket and agitator to drop into said tub.

GEORGE A. CREETH. LESTER P. PHILP. WALTER A. LINDSAY. 

